St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-03-31
FEMALE EnPLOyES.

The leg stature passed one law last WIN
! ter which seems to be more honOred in
the breach than the observance. We refer
to the law requiring the owners and man
ayers of mercantile and manufacturing
establishments who employ female help to
provide comfortable seats for the accom-
mediation of the female employees. and to
allow them reasonable time to occupy the
seats While the object of the law is
worthy one, as it stands, it is III meas
IRE utterly useless. Humane employers
who have the comfort of their employees at
heart do not need any such suggestions as
the law throws out. Thurman employers
cannot have humane instincts instilled into
them through the instrumentality of legis-
lation. Still there are reasons why this
matter should be the subject of legisla-
ton, but it should be- done in a way to
carry with it the power of enforcement.
In the retail mercantile trade and in many
manufacturing establishments women are
employed almost altogether. Their services
as clerks and SaleSwomen can be had at
cheaper figures, as a rule, than male
employees, and they are entirely capable of
performing the work. In these days of
close competition saving of two or three
dollars week on the salary of each EN-
plOye is big item to the proprietor of an
establishment requiring the services of a
number of people. 1t can further be said
on behalf of the employers that the bulk of
the work to be performed in these estab-
lishments must be done by people who
stand on their feet. A salesman or a sales
woman IN a dry goods or notion estab-
liShment, who sat on cushioned chair all
day, would be of no account to the propre-
tor. He can't afford to hire wall flowers
He wants his people to be bustling around
waiting on customers. and to be brisk about
1t. That is the business view of it, On
the other hand comes up the humane side
OF the question, and it is just there that the
law is justified in interfering. Nature has
established some laws which are to be taken
into consideration. Women are not capable
OF the same physical endurance that men
are. 1t Is not for US to stop to inquire
whether Natures provisions are wise or I'M
wise. 1t is enough for us to know that they
can not be eyaded, and should be respected.
1t is not only irksome to woman,
uub IL 10 dUoolulcly udliScrOuS 10 UeF
health to be compelled to stand on her feet
for any great length of time. That is why
the legislature probably felt itself i'm
PEELED to adopt measures securing to fe-
male employees the right to sit down when
ever they feel tired. But for some reason
the law failed to provide the machinery for
its enforcement tits practically dead let
ter unless employers choose to observe it.
Even when the employer does provide seats
for the use of his employees he is left to ex--
ercise his own judgment as to what shall
be a reasonable time to be allowed for their
occupancy. The law should have commit
ted to the health officials OF cities and towns
the authority to regulate the matter. Then
the prOprietors of establishments could
have determined for themselves whether or
not they could afford to submit to its pro-
visions. 1t would have been question
with them whether it is cheaper to employ
female help with a certain amount of time
| discounted for resting or whether to pay
the extra amount in wages required to Sc
C TIRE male employees. This is both hui
name and abusiness proposition, and should
be dealt with accordingly.